Will this week's extensive security reshuffle satisfy the ire of revolutionaries, ease the concerns of the families of the martyrs, and assuage the frustration of officers? Jailan Halawi seeks answers Yesterday, Egypt witnessed an unprecedented police reshuffle that included some 4,000 officers. Minister of Interior Mansour El-Eissawi on Wednesday announced the reshuffle promised in an attempt to purge corrupt officers from among his forces. By the time of Al-Ahram Weekly going to print, figures obtained showed the removal of some 505 major generals, 82 brigadiers -- 27 of whom are implicated in the killing of protesters -- along with repositioning 59 officers of a lower rank to jobs that do not involve dealing with the public. All officers will be in their new positions by the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan. El-Eissawi noted that he has taken into consideration the demands put forward by revolutionary youth groups, adding that his move constitutes the largest reshuffle in the ministry's history, with the promotion of honourable officers to leadership positions where they could act as role models for proper behaviour across the force. On Saturday, Egypt's Prime Minister Essam Sharaf vowed to sack any member of the police accused of killing protesters during the 18-day uprising that led to the ouster of former president Hosni Mubarak. The prime minister's statement followed what was dubbed, "The second revolution" that started Friday, 8 July, with tens of thousands gathered in Tahrir Square calling for swift reform. Further, Sharaf said he urged the prosecutor-general to form a team to be in charge of hastening investigations into cases related to the killing of demonstrators, and that the prosecutor-general had decided to appeal all acquittals issued earlier in such cases. The July demonstrations were sparked by widespread frustration over the lack of change since Mubarak stepped down in February. Political activists complained that while the ousted president and many of his associates have lost power, many of his main aides in the judiciary, the police and the civil service remain. In his statement, Sharaf urged Minister of Interior El-Eissawi to suspend any officers implicated in the killing of protesters and quickly maintain the highest levels of security in the country. The people's "second revolution" had called on the prime minister and the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces to reform the country's security apparatus and to bring to justice upon those accused of killing demonstrators. Protesters also demanded that the former president and aides be put on trial and that these trials be public. For their part, police officers vehemently denounced the prime minister's words. In a statement issued 11 July, the Coalition of Police Officers said the prime minister's decision to sack colleagues implicated in the killing of protesters made all officers feel "let-down". In response, the coalition decided to organise a march from Abdeen Palace in Downtown to the Ministry of Interior to be followed by a sit- in. The statement added that Sharaf did not differentiate between those who purposely killed demonstrators and those officers who were defending their prisons or police stations against thugs and criminals. It further added that the prime minister wanted to sacrifice young officers as scapegoats in order to please protesters and absorb their anger, describing his decision as "unfair and lacking any kind of legitimacy and justice". According to Captain Ahmed Ragab, spokesperson of the coalition, the reason they contest Sharaf's decision is that by law one cannot sack a public servant or end his contract so long as there has not been a final court order, and that the prime minister should have waited until individual cases were over, to uphold the principle of "innocent until proven guilty". That is not to say that the coalition is against cleansing the ministry of corrupt elements who uphold the old system or its ways, but they are against that change happens in an "unfair" way. In what was seen by the officers as a heroic act, El-Eissawi told Sharaf he would not comply with any decision that is against the law concerning those currently facing trial. El-Eissawi further said that only the Ministry of Interior is concerned with how to deal with such men. From day one in his post, El-Eissawi made it clear that he will not do anything that contradicts the law. Hence he is ready to submit his resignation if he feels any decision is being taken against his will. "I will immediately resign if they insist on executing such a decision," he said. His stand was praised by security officers of all ranks who insisted that a real crisis would take hold if El-Eissawi resigns, "now that finally we found a man that we can trust, respect and follow," said one security source speaking to the Weekly on condition of anonymity.
